Suspension insulator



Nov. 1, 1938. J. J. TAYLOR ET AL SUSPENSION INSULATOR Filed April 20, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r mm M Vv m a w mmw W m m m w F m Nov. 1, 1938. J .1. TAYLOR ET AL 2,135,359

SUSPENS ION INSULATOR Filed April 20, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR5 John J. Taylor:

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 SUSPENSION INSULATOR John J. Taylor, Wadsworth, and Floyd G. Bovard, Akron, Ohio, assignors to The Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey v Application April. 1935, Serial No. 17,440

10 Claims.

This invention relates to suspension insulators for electrical transmission lines, and particularly for insulators intended to be used in'regionswhere the atmosphere is apt to be contaminated with fog, dust, smoke or other impurities.

One object of the invention is to provide an insulator in which the surfaces subjected 'to highest stresses are protected from contamination.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulator in which the metallic fittings and the dielectric surfaces adjacent these fittings are completely enclosed so as to prevent contamination of the surfaces adjacent the fittings.

A further object of the invention is 'to pro-,'

vide an insulator string in which the adjacent units are provided with overlapping flanges forming an outer armor of dielectric material constituting the entire surface of said string.

Another object of the invention is tc provide a string made up of insulator units articulated to one another so as to permit flexing of the string, adjacent units in the string having. overlapping flanges affording suflficient clearance to permit flexing and yet providing a shell presenting an outer dielectric surface throughout the entire length of the string.

A further object of the invention is to provide an insulator string having overlapping flanges arranged to provide a maximum amount of protected leakage surface with a minimum length of string.

Fig. 1 is an elevation with parts in section showing one embodiment of the present'invention.

Figs. 2 and 3' are views similar to Fig. 1 show ing modified forms of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the numeral ID designates the dielectric member of an insulator unit which may be made of porcelain or other dielectric material. The member ID is provided with a boss I i having a recess opening at the upper side of the insulator, in which recess a pin i2 is secured by cement or other suitable means. The cap l3 surrounds the boss II and is secured thereto by cement l4. Theporcelain member 10 has a radiallyprojecting flange l5 having a downwardly projecting portion provided with skirts l8 and H. The flange l5 also has upwardly projecting baiiies I8 and I9 which overlap the downwardly projecting skirts l6 and ll of the next adjacent unit in the string and which are staggered relative to the skirts l6 and I1. Since the cap I3 is of much greater diameter than the pin I2, the flanges l6 and Il surrounding the cap are likewiseof greater diameter than the corresponding flanges l8 and I9 surrounding the pin and so, due to the relative position of the cap and pin, overhang the flanges l8 and I9 and protect the recesses within these flanges from rain and snow. If the cap were placed at the top of the insulator, as has heretofore been the usual custom, the flanges about the pin would have to extend beyond those about the cap to give the same protection, thus requiring flanges of excessive diameter. By inverting the units as shown in the drawings, the downwardly projecting flanges l6 and IT, which must be of suflicient diameter anyway to surround the cap, easily overlap the upwardly projecting flanges l8 and I9 surrounding the pin, without the necessity of using flanges of excessive diameter. The pin l2 has a ball and socket connection with the cap i3 of the next adjacent unit in the string so as to permit bending of the string. j

In order to facilitate assembly of the units, the

pin I2 is formed of upper and lower sections connected by a thread 20. The ball on the upper end of the pin 20 is provided with a web 2i which fits in the slotted opening 22 of the socket on the 3 cap l3 to prevent rotation of the pin relative to' the socket. This facilitates threading of the parts of the pin together during assembly. The upper end of the pin is first inserted in the socket and is locked in place by a cotter 23 in a manner well known in the art. The lower unit is then threaded onto the upper portion of the pin. The upwardly projecting bailies l8 and [9 may be omitted from the uppermost unit of the string and the space about the pin i2 may be filled by a weather proofing compound 25. Any number of units similar to the unit l0 may be connected in'the string. The lowermost unit will support the usual conductor clamp 26. The fitting for the clamp may be provided with a sheet'metal bowl shaped baffle 21, the periphery of which projects between the skirts l6 and I1 to insure protection of the dielectric surface about the cap [3.

By placing the cap on the lower side of the dielectric member rather than on the upper side,

as is usual with suspension insulators, a more effective disposition of the flanges is secured. It is necessary for the downwardly extending skirts to project radially beyond the upwardly extending skirts in order to shed the rain; and since the pin is the smaller one of the two metal flttings, it is desirable to place this at the top of the insulator so that the upwardly projecting flanges may be brought inwardly as near the axis of the string as possible, thus permitting the downwardly extending flanges to project radially beyond those extending upwardly. The flanges which overlap the cap must necessarily be spaced outwardly beyond the periphery of the cap, and by placing the cap on the lower side of the dielectric member, advantage is taken of this greater diameter to locate the overlapping flanges in the proper radial relation to one another so as to shed rain or snow. It will be noted that the string length is no greater than that of the usual suspension insulator string of the same number of units since the flange extending backwardly over the cap occupies the same lihear space as the boss on which the cap is attached. Each unit is prevented from rotation relative to the next adjacent unit by the web II on the pin,

and since the end units are both held from rotation, the pin sections will be prevented from unscrewing. A spacer washer ll-may be provided for regulating the spacing between the units.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the integral dielectric flange I9 is omitted and instead a metal flange or ring 21 is employed. This fiangeis provided with a bead 28 that fits in a slight depression in the porcelain member ill to hold it in place. The flange 28 is slightly corrugated or slotted to provide suflicient resiliency to permit the bead to pass downwardly out of its groove so that the entire flange 21 may be slid downwardly to provide sufficient clearance to permit assembly of the insulator parts without the necessity of providing a separable pin. The pin 30 in this case is made of one piece and the insulator units may be assembled in the usual way by first sliding the metal flange 21 downwardly so as to permit of sufllcient angular tilting of the parts to insert the ball 3i in the socket 32. The uppermost unit in the string in this case is provided with an upwardly extending baille 33 and the supporting fitting 34 carries a canopy 35 which overlaps the baille 33 and prevents precipitation from entering the space inside the baffle 33. The metal flange 21 is provided with a drain opening 36 covered by an outwardly spaced baille plate 31 to prevent currents of air from passing through the drain opening.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, an upwardly projecting movable flange 4|! is provided similar to the flanges 21 in Fig. 2, and also a downwardly projecting flange 39 which overlaps the flange 40. This arrangement not only permits easy assembly of the parts but also by sliding the flange l downwardly and the flange 39 upwardly, access may be had to the space about the metal fittings for cleaning or other purposes.

It will be noted that in each form of the invention shown, an extended leakage surface adjacent the metal fitting is protected so as to maintain a dry surface at this position at all times. This is the position of greatest electrical stress and the point where corona or sparking is most apt to occur if the surface should become contaminated. The entire metallic connection is enclosed in the space surrounded by the overlapping baiiles which provide a labyrinthine passage between the enclosed space and the outer atmosphere, thus preventing air currents and contamination carried thereby from entering this space.

We claim:

1. An insulator string comprising a plurality of units each having flanges. thereon and having flttings connecting said units together in the strings, the flanges 0! adjacent units surrounding the flttings connecting said units and being arranged in overlapping relation, one of said flanges beingreadily movable relative to its unit even after the unit and flange are completely assembled to facilitate assembly of the units in the string.

2. An insulator formed of a plurality of units in a string, means for separably connecting said units together, adjacent units having flanges thereon overlapping each other and enclosing said connecting means, two of said overlapping flanges, one on each unit, each being readily movable relative to the unit with which it is connected even after completely assembled with said unit to permit access to the means for connecting said units.

3. An insulator string formed of a plurality of units, each comprising a dielectric member and metal fittings for connecting said member with adjacent units in the string, the units in said string having bames thereon extending longitudinally of said string, a baflle on one unit overlapping an oppositely extending baiiie on an adjacent unit and forming an enclosed housing connected to the outer atmosphere by a labyrinthine passage, one of said baflles being movable relative to the unit on which it is mounted to permit more ready access to the interior of said housing.

4. An insulator string formed of a plurality of units, each unit comprising a dielectric member and metal fittings for connecting adjacent units in said string, one of said units having a separately formed metallic baflle mounted thereon and arranged to telescope relative to said unit and spaced away from said fittings by the dielectric member of said unit and overlapping a cooperating flange on an adjacent unit to provide an enclosed space about said fittings and form a. labyrinthine passage between said space and the outer atmosphere.

5. An insulator string formed of a plurality of units, each unit comprising a dielectric member and metal fittings for connection with adjacent units in the string, adjacent units having overlapping flanges forming an enclosed chamber and providing a labyrinthine passage connecting said chamber with the outer atmosphere, certain of said flanges being formed of metal and being movably supported on said dielectric members in spaced relation to said metal fittings, said metal flanges being movable relative to said dielectric members to open said labyrinthine passage.

6. An insulator string formed of a plurality of units connected together by ball and socket joints, adjacent units in said string having oppositely extending flanges thereon arranged in overlapping relation to enclose the joint between said units. one of said flanges being movable relative to its unit to facilitate assembly of the units in the string.

7. An insulator formed of a plurality of units in a string, ball andsocket joints separately connecting said units, adjacent units having oppositely extending flanges thereon overlapping each other, two of said overlapping flanges, one on each unit, each being movable relative to the unit with which it is connected to permit access to the joint connecting said units.

8. An insulator string formed of a plurality of units each comprising a dielectric member, and metal fittings connecting said member with adjacent units in the string, the fittings of adjacent units having a ball and socket connection with each other, the units in said string having baffies thereon, the baflles on one unit each overlapping an oppositely extending bafile on an adjacent unit and forming an enclosing housing for the joint between said units, said housing being connected to the outer atmosphere by a labyrinthine passage between said baffles, one of said baffles being movable relative to the unit on which it is mounted to open said passage.

9. In combination a plurality of insulator units connected together, one above another in a string, one of said units comprising a dielectric member, a cap secured to a portion of said member and disposed at the lower side of said member, a pin secured in an opening in said portion and projecting from the upper side of said member, a flange projecting upwardly from said member about said pin, a second flange projecting downwardly from said member about said cap, said second flange being of greater diameter than said first flange and extending downwardly past the bottom of said cap and a sufilcient distance to overlap the upwardly extending flange of a like unit connected by its pin to the cap of said first named unit.

10. In combination, a plurality of insulator units connected together in a string, one above another, one of said units comprising a dielectric member, fittings for said member comprising a cap secured to a portion of said dielectric member and disposed at the lower side of said member and a pin secured in an opening in said portion and projecting from the upper side of said member, spaced concentric flanges projecting upwardly from said member about said pin and spaced concentric flanges projecting downwardly from said member about said cap, said downwardly projecting flanges being of sufiicient length to extend below said cap and to overlap the upwardly projecting flanges of a like unit connected by its pin to the cap of said first named unit, so that said flanges form a l abyrinthine passage connecting the space about said cap and. pin with the outer atmosphere, each downwardly projecting flange being disposed outside of an upwardly projecting flange, the innermost downwardly projecting flange being of greater diameter than the innermost upwardly projecting flange to conform to the diameters of the fittings which they respectively surround.

JOHN J. TAYLOR. c FLOYD G. BOVARD. 

